Scheduled to begin next month, the mass revaccination of 32 million over 50s could now take place later in the autumn than planned. The JCVI, an advisory body for the Government, met yesterday to review evidence on booster jabs – but no conclusion over when boosters should be given was made.
Sources have stressed that “nothing is off the table” and their recommendation could take weeks.
Mr Javid said last night: “We are going to have a booster scheme, it will start sometime in September.
“I couldn’t tell you exactly when because before we start it, as people would expect, we need to get the final advice from our group of experts, our independent scientific and medical advisers – the JCVI.
He added: “I’m confident that we can start in September when we will start with the most vulnerable cohorts.”
The extremely clinically vulnerable will still get their third vaccinations next month, the JCVI has confirmed.
These 3.7 million adults will be offered a third dose at the same time they are offered a flu vaccination, ahead of what is expected to be a bad winter for illness in the UK.
Third rounds of vaccines have already been announced for other countries such as the US and Israel and will get underway in the autumn and winter months.
President Joe Biden said yesterday that he and wife Jill Biden will be getting their third dose after American health experts said it was ‘very clear’ that protection wanes over time.
When will the over 50s get their booster jab?
Sajid Javid has promised all vulnerable individuals their third dose in September.
However, it remains to be seen if the JCVI will make progress on the decision to revaccinate all over 50s.
Express.co.uk has contacted the Department for Health for comment.
